29 Jan 2017

Fatal police pursuit: Crash victim identified, driver named

9:30 pm on 29 January 2017

Police have identified a critically-injured woman after a public appeal for help after a fatal pursuit crash in south Auckland.

Inspector Dave Glossop holds a picture of the critically injured woman's tattoo.

Inspector Dave Glossop holds a picture of the critically injured woman's tattoo. Photo: RNZ / Carla Penman

Police said the car, driven by a man with two female passengers, was travelling at speed along Great South Road in Manukau when it was spotted by a patrol about 10.15pm yesterday.

The driver, Eden Hoey, took off and pursuing officers soon lost sight of the car.

Area Commander, Inspector Dave Glossop said the fleeing driver ran a red light before crashing into a car with five people in it.

Mr Hoey, 32, who was originally from Northland, died in the crash. His two female passengers suffered serious injuries, including the critically-injured woman they could not identify.

Police this afternoon released a photo of the woman's distinctive musical note tattoo in a bid to identify her and track down her family. The appeal succeeded.

Police refused to say whether or not Mr Hoey had a licence, saying it was part of the investigation.

They said they had grave concerns for the critically-injured woman, who is Māori or Polynesian, aged in her 20s and has several tattoos.

The other passenger was in a stable condition at Middlemore Hospital.

None of the five people in the car that was hit wore seatbelts. Two of them were thrown from the vehicle, police said.

It was a miracle the pair did not suffer more serious injuries, Mr Glossop said.

All five were taken to hospital with moderate injuries.

Police were reviewing CCTV footage of the pursuit and the crash. The Independent Police Conduct Authority had been notified.

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